ADVERSITIES

The sages sail through life with effortless ease, but for most of us it is not so easy. The road is often bumpy, and we often encounter adversities. Why can’t our lives be more similar to the way the sages live?

Upon being asked such a question, a sage may smile and say, “Ah, but it is already similar.” This is quite true because the sages are human beings, too, and they encounter trials and tribulations just like we do. The difference is that they can look beyond the adversity and see that there is a piece of wisdom waiting to be claimed on the other side of it.

This means the proper handling of the adversity is the way to attain wisdom. To do this, you would not struggle with it. Instead, you would sidestep it, deflect it or channel it and guide it out of your way. The more skillfully you do this, the more your actions will blend smoothly in your life. This is how the sages make everything look so easy.

The Tao Today

Every time you gain wisdom from handling adversity, you gain confidence and character. Your life skills increase another notch, enabling you to face the next challenge even more effectively and effortlessly. In time, people will ask you why their lives cannot be more similar to yours. That is when you can smile and tell them that it already is.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin